The Adventures of Speed and Michelle
by Showjumperstar
Summary: After things settled down, what are our heroes to do? Go on adventures of course! Series of One-shots starring my OCs (with some guest appearances). Mostly K but rated T for those kinds of chapters.
1. Show Season!

**A/N These shorts are in no particular chronology, other than the fact that they're after the events of the final chapter in "A New World". **

**Show Season!**

"'s too _early_," Speed complained with a yawn as I finished hooking the horse trailer up. It was my favorite time of the year…show season!

"Oh, come on…it's only five! You can nap when we get to the show grounds," I said laughing. Speed grumbled a little. I loaded my horse, Royale, up first and then let the Liz and Lexi load their horses up. Liz closed the door to the trailer and gave me a thumb up.

"You ready?" I asked Speed. His engine turned over with ease and we waited while the others hopped in. Speed entered the address into his GPS and we pulled off of the dark ranch to the show.

OOOOOOO

The two-hour ride seemed to fly by and before we knew it, we arrived. There were already three notable stables setting up for a day of show jumping fun.

"Where do you want to set up?" Speed asked.

"Oh hey, there's Danielle and her team, let's go over there!" I said. I felt like a giddy little girl at a candy store. I missed show season due to obvious Machine reasons, and was stoked when shows started getting schedules posted. Speed parked next to the rig from another ranch. I jumped out and ran over to give Danielle a hug.

We set to work getting the horses groomed and saddled all the while catching up on our adventures since the last show. I met Danielle's truck and she met Speed. The two Machines ended up talking for the rest of the morning while the humans chatted about showing and training.

OOOOOOOO

Sadly, attendance was down compared to years past. Although, we knew it would pick up when the world relaxed. Royale and I were one of six pairs in our division. I felt almost bad coming and not having much competition. I loved the competitive feeling as well as catching up with friends, and most of all riding.

The bell dinged indicating my round can begin. I picked Royale up into a canter and pointed him toward the first fence. He cleared it with ease.

OOOOOOOO

We knocked one rail down, putting me in third in the first round. By the end of the day, we had three thirds and a first. I was super pleased with how Royale did. The others won their divisions.

"That was fun to watch!" Speed exclaimed as we led the horses toward the trailer.

"How's Danielle doing?" Belle asked.

"Her first round was a little rough, but she expected that since she's on a newer horse. She's waiting to do her final round right now," I replied.

OOOOOOOO

The trailer was loaded and we were saying our final goodbyes to our friends.

"That was fun. When's the next one?" Speed asked enthusiastically. Liz and Lexi giggled. Yesterday Speed wasn't sure if he would find the show fun.

"Don't know yet. I'll let you know as soon as I find out though."

OOOOOOOO

It was dark by the time we pulled onto the ranch. We put the horses immediately away and continued to unload the trailer. Speed was dozing while we finished our task.

"Do you wanna just sleep here for tonight, or do you think you're okay to park the trailer and head back to the garage?" Speed yawned.

"'m good…can I sleep in in the morning?" he asked as we rolled to where the trailers get parked.

"We'll see.


	2. Water Balloons

**Water Balloons**

**Speed's POV**

Michelle carried a large bucket full of brightly colored orbs past me in the garage and set them just outside the door. She smiled in my direction, but she stayed quiet…which was suspicious. She walked past me again and back into the house. I could hear her talking on the radio and I could hear people replying, but I was still very confused.

"What's going on?" I asked as she walked past again with another bucket.

"You'll see," she replied with a crafty smile. I narrowed my eyes at her, trying to get her to tell more. She just laughed and walked back inside the house. When she entered the garage again, she had two heavy-duty water guns and a folder. I stared at the guns, slightly concerned.

"Alright, no need to get your bumper in a twist. We're having a water balloon slash water gun fight. This folder has targets that wash off easily so we can play an elimination round. We're doing it out by the landing strip so we don't tear up any of the pastures. Dusty and Lightning are coming out if you wanna say hi. Otherwise I'll just have to throw balloons at you here." I didn't see the light blue balloon until she lobbed it over her head. It hit my hood with a satisfying thud and water exploded everywhere. I jumped in surprise and shivered at the cool water.

"Oh…it…is…on!" I said, starting my engine with a rev. Michelle continued to laugh.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

Speed carried my ammo out to the strip. We met with others who had wheelbarrows full of the water bombs. Some of the kids were already throwing balloons at each other. There would be shouting, a _whoosh_, and a burst of giggles. The water balloon fight was an annual thing the ranch did to not only cool off, but to do something not horse related without leaving the property.

"Finally! We've been waiting for you two for like five minutes!" Kevin complained. The others walked up and circled Speed and me.

"Michelle…?" Speed asked, concerned. With a smile I threw my first balloon at Kevin. It hit him square in the chest resulting in an "oof" from him.

"Drive!" Speed pulled away, almost too cautiously. We were hit three times before we were out of throwing range. I sat down in the bed and picked bits of rubber out of my hair. Speed continued driving and the sound of a plane getting ready to land grew.

"Dusty's here!" Speed shouted joyfully. Dusty landed and taxied over to where we were parked. Andy and Olivia jumped down from Dusty's cab. Each had a small water gun.

"Sorry we're late! I couldn't decide if I wanted a water gun or water balloons," Andy stated.

"I had to remind them that water balloons pop and we were going to be high up," Dusty explained, shooting a teasing glance to the teenager.

"Andy didn't want to have to dry all of the instrument panel," giggled Olivia. Andy blushed a little and then shot a stream of water in his sister's direction. She squealed with delight and shot back at Andy, who dodged it. It hit Dusty.

"Sorry, Dusty!" Olivia shouted running away from Andy and toward the other kids. Andy got around really well with that leg.

"Blade wouldn't let me fill the pontoons, otherwise I could just drop water on everyone," Dusty just stated with a laugh. I jumped down from Speed and grabbed my buckets.

"You two can chat, Lightning should be here soon with Maya, and then the battle shall commence."

OOOOOOOO

The humans each wore a target on their arm. The Machines had two targets on either side of their bodies. We all stood in a circle, a balloon in one hand, and a gun in another. In the center was a mountain of balloons. I stood about ten feet away from Speed's right side and watched him from the corner of my eye. The Machines didn't have guns or balloons, which was why they had more targets.

"Speed…team?" I stage-whispered. He chuckled and nodded his hood.

"Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!" called Zoe from across the circle.

"Alright, once your target is gone, you're done," I said, explaining the rules to the new players. "Everyone ready in three…two…one!" I threw my balloon to my right, hitting Kevin's thigh. He turned to me and threw, but it missed me and hit Speed's grill. The others had already claimed a bucket of balloons and were chucking them at each other. Lightning and Maya took off in one direction and Andy and Dusty were on their tails.

Speed dropped his tailgate and ordered me to throw a bucket in the back. I jumped up in time to finish off Mike's target with my water gun. He handed his water gun and a balloon to Olivia. She flung it at me, effectively taking out half of my target.

"Good arm, kiddo!" Mike exclaimed with a laugh. Olivia giggled and raised her water gun to finish the job. Instead, she shot at one of Speed's targets and missed. Speed turned abruptly, almost causing me to tumble over his side.

"Sorry, Michelle!" he called.

"No harm done, slow up just a bit though." He did so and allowed the others to catch up without sprinting. I sat down on Speed's tailgate and flung the multicolored blobs at those who dared to chase us.

Speed stopped suddenly, throwing dust and gravel in his slide. I fell back and recovered quickly.

"What the…" I began when I saw Dusty and Lightning blocking Speed's way. Both of them wore the same smirk. Maya and Andy appeared, each with a balloon in hand. Speed and I were surrounded at that point.

"Three!" Zoe began.

"Two!" Olivia cheered.

"One…Fire!" Kevin called. A barrage of color rained from all directions. My target washed off after the second balloon strike. I raised my hands in surrender.

"His targets are off on this side!" Zoe called from Speed's right side.

"Wait…" Kevin replied. He aimed his water gun and finished off a target. Speed laughed.

"Alright…alright…we're out. Here are the balloons I still have left." I stood to grab the bucket. With a quick motion, I dropped a balloon on Zoe's head, and then one on Kevin's head. Olivia ran around to Speed's grill and with some effort, managed to toss a balloon on his hood. She ran around Dusty throwing balloons at the Machines and giggling.

"I think Olivia won," Andy said as he picked a bit of balloon out of his leg.

"I think we're in a death match right now. I still have a bit of target left on my arm," Mike announced. I took my squirt gun and shot the last little bit off. Everyone erupted in a chorus of laughter.

"Nose goes for clean up!" I shouted, sticking my finger on my nose. All the humans followed suit, leaving the three participating Machines at a loss. Gem and Victoria were parked just far enough away to not get wet. They were amused.

"Now that's just not fair!" Lightning said chuckling.

OOOOOOO

We ended up cleaning together, which was usually the case. Speed and I pulled into the garage just as the sun was setting. We were both dry. I left the balloon bits in my hair and Speed had a few stuck to his body.

"It looks like you ran into a rainbow," I said with a tired giggle.

"It looks like you were riding along," he countered. I giggled again. I was so tired everything was funny. I began to peel off the balloon scraps off of the both of us, laughing at the amount of balloon piling on the ground.

**A/N This took longer than I expected, partially because of life and partially because of me getting distracted with other projects.**


	3. They Still Exist

**A/N Rated T for language and mild violence**

**And Still They Exist~ Pt. 1**

As humans and Machines lived together longer, fights broke out less and less. There would still be a few spats here and there. Those rarely even made it past the local news. The economy was booming as more jobs were created to help care for our Machine friends. Things were almost like they were before…almost…

OOOOOOOO

"Speed," I sang walking into the garage.

"Michelle!" he sang back.

"Guess what time it is!" I continued to sing.

"Noon…"

"Nope," I laughed putting emphasis on the "p".

"Then what day is it?"

"Time for you to get an oil change. I have to take you into town since Kevin isn't here." Speed clearly didn't like that idea.

"Um…I have a flat?" He raised a tire and pretended it was dangling. I smiled, slightly amused.

"Nice try. C'mon, I know the mechanic, he's a good guy." I opened the garage door and climbed into Speed's cab. With a sigh, he started his engine and within a few minutes we were heading into town.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

I didn't like it the last time I had an oil change. It felt just weird…not that Kevin was hurting me…but it wore me out quicker than I imagined it would. I was literally drained of energy and I remembered having to take a day off to rest. I felt great the next day once the new oil had been in my system though.

Michelle and I pulled up to the dealership's shop and straight into a bay. A man in a blue jumpsuit greeted Michelle as she walked up.

"Here's your patient!" she said with a grin.

"Not my patient today, Michelle. Jim will take care of ya, big guy," the man replied pointing an oily rag to another guy. He looked about as old as Kevin. He walked up and tipped the brim of his cap to Michelle. Something seemed off about how he looked at me though.

"The waiting room is open for ya, and Darlene baked cookies for our guests," the first man stated.

"Thanks, Sal. Speed…behave yourself," she said with a teasing look in her eyes. I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

I didn't know Jim. I never met him before, but I trusted Sal's judgment and didn't argue. I could sort of see Speed through the window in the waiting room. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, though I didn't know what exactly it was I was looking for. I nibbled on the chocolate chip cookie and turned back to the book I was reading. A news story suddenly popped up from a plane race and Andy was taking the stage once again.

_ Poor kid_ I thought. I refused to make more appearances and referred the news to the last time I made a speech. I got used to seeing myself on occasion and left it at that. The waiting room was empty, thankfully. Anytime I made an appearance, it was uncomfortable. I was well known before the Change, and I never felt as weird as I do now. The slander for befriending Machines had calmed down, thankfully…but things were hardly ever about the horses anymore unless I was dealing with clients.

Sal walked into the room and gave me a thumb up. I handed him a check and walked out to a sleepy truck. I felt bad every time he needed an oil change, he was always out of it for the rest of the day…but it was a necessity.

"Thanks, guys," I said climbing into the cab. We backed out of the bay and turned onto Main Street for home.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

My engine was running fine until we were halfway home. Something wasn't working right…like it was sticking almost. It was a dull discomfort, nothing I couldn't ignore…but I couldn't. After another quarter mile I felt really warm, and I felt more parts trying to freeze. I couldn't stop yet, despite my now protesting engine. I could make out the details of the sign next to the gate.

"Hon…pull over…" Michelle said, concern filling her voice. I fought the pain and continued home. By the time we had pulled into the garage, smoke was easing its way out of my engine compartment. My engine stalled, choking me a little. I was tremendously hot and losing consciousness.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

"Kevin…something's wrong with Speed…I don't know…smoke, he's losing consciousness, yeah he's breathing heavily…we just got back from Sal's. No…damn it, you don't think…" "I'm on my way" were Kevin's last words when I shut the call down. Speed was scared.

"Speed…stay awake, Hon," I begged, tears welling up. Kevin was afraid something like this would happen.

"W-what's wrong with m-me?" he murmured between breaths. He was fading.

"Kevin thinks that new guy put something called sodium silicate in your engine. It's stuff that was used on Machines before the Change to seize the engines up on vehicles over a certain mileage. It was the dumbest program ever created. Once it enters your system, the heat your engine created solidified the solution…Speed…stay with me…" Zoe ran up just as Speed succumbed to unconsciousness. His breathing was still heavy.

"I saw the smoke coming from your house and…oh my God…what happened?"

"Someone just signed their death certificate," I replied, straightening up and watching as Gem rushed up the driveway. She barely stopped before Kevin jumped out and sprinted toward the now trembling form of my truck.

"Speed, I need you to pop your hood open," he ordered. With a click, the hood jumped and Kevin yanked it open.

"It's completely sealed. We need to replace his engine immediately…" Kevin's voice dropped in despair.

While the Ford dealership was still open to service vehicles, we didn't know if they kept enough parts for a full engine replacement. The worse thought crossed my mind; we weren't sure if Speed would survive the procedure, or if he would Change back to a regular truck. We heard of the few scattered cases of Machines that did not Change, or Machines that had something done to them that Changed them back. The car manufacturers recently began production of vehicles again, and those were rarely living which pleased some of the less enthusiastic humans.

"Call the dealership. I need to make a personal visit with someone. Zoe, stay with Speed and keep him awake. Speed…hang in there, Hon…" Speed groaned and shuddered. I ran out to Gem.

"Can you give me a lift into town?" Without a word, Gem opened her door and let me in. Thankful that the Highway Patrol isn't around usually, we high tailed it back to the dealership shop. Neither one of us said a word. I had to stop myself multiple times from grabbing the steering wheel and gripping it as hard as I could.

Gem skidded to a halt right outside and before she could stop, I was out and stalking up to the bay. Sal hit his head on the lift he was under as I glided past him and right up to Jim. He was working on a little white car. He was taller than me by enough to make me less intimidating, but I was still going to…do something…

"You…" I grabbed his jumpsuit's collar and shoved him against the wall. The sound resonated throughout the garage. I had no idea what I was going to do. "You pathetic waste of human flesh! How _dare _you hurt him!" My hand was still on his collar and my forearm was pressed up against his chest. He was too shocked to do anything. When realization hit, a simple smile played at his lips. It was feral. I lost control at that point and my left hand met his face with a sickening crunch. Jim let out a cry and blood poured out of his nose. My hand wasn't feeling that great either, but I wasn't going to reveal that.

"Michelle…what on Earth?" Sal asked walking up. All work had stopped and all eyes were on Jim and me.

"He poured liquid glass into Speed's engine. You fowl loathsome cockroach!" I hissed. I could hear the car gasp a little and a wave of murmurs through the garage.

"Jim?" Sal asked, rather shocked.

"These monsters are out of line. I'm tired of them telling me how to do my job!" _Maybe if you did it right, there wouldn't be any complaining, _I thought, biting my tongue.

"You don't have a job anymore, son. We don't discriminate our clients. Michelle, you're going to have to let him go now. Unfortunately someone's got the police coming so I can't let either of you leave." I let go of Jim's shirt and stepped back. Great…I'm the bad guy. I stared hatefully at the cold eyes of the man I just assaulted. He put a clean rag to his face and stared back. My knuckles throbbed. Sirens died as the police approached the garage. They had handcuffs out.

"Alright, what's going on here?" an officer asked walking up.

"She hurt me!" Jim accused. There was no doubt he would have a bruise on his back from hitting the wall along with his broken nose.

"Is this true Miss Reese?"

"I was angry at him and I shoved him against the wall…and punched him in the nose." Might as well be honest, I didn't exactly handle things professionally.

"And why were you angry at him?"

"I brought my truck in for an oil change earlier today, and this mechanic instead put sodium silicate in the tank. My friend is now incapacitated and possibly dying because his engine is completely seized." I couldn't fight the tears anymore.

"Well you know that due to the recent laws, what you did was attempted murder. With the possibility that her truck could still die," the officer stated looking at Jim.

"But she hurt me?"

"She will be arrested for assault, but what we need to do is none of your business. Now how many Machines have you serviced with oil changes?" I never thought about there being more. I could feel my blood drain from my face. There could be others facing the same fate Speed's experiencing…or they could be dead. I shook the thought out of my head as quickly as it had formed. Speed cannot die…

**To Be Continued…**


	4. They Still Exist Part 2

**A/N rated T for language and mild violence**

**And They Still Exist~ Pt. 2**

I was in my own cell. At least it was more comfortable than the cell Ma'am had me in. I was kicking myself. I needed to be home with Speed…not sitting overnight in jail. I called to let the others know what happened, though they couldn't bail me out…something about the way the laws worked now. Thankfully this was a one-night stint.

Kevin said the heat that should have been gone wasn't and Speed kept asking for me. He wouldn't be thrilled that I had gone and punched someone. Kelly got on the call too.

"Victoria is coming to pick you up tomorrow afternoon. Someone has to stay with Speed to keep him as cool as possible. Kevin is scrambling to try and find all the parts we're going to need. We're not having much luck though…"

"Is he awake right now?" I asked, my voice small. My time was running out before I had to hang up.

"Barely." I choked back a sob.

"Can you tell him I'm sorry? I shouldn't have taken him in…or at the very least I should have insisted Sal do it." For the millionth time today I started crying.

"Hey…shhh…it's not your fault. I'm sure Speed will pull through. He's as strong willed and stubborn as you are," Kelly said with a laugh. The officer watching me tapped my shoulder.

"I'll see you tomorrow I guess." The officer picked up the phone and hung it up for me. My body shook and I felt like I was going to be sick. I was placed back in my cell and some food was handed to me through a slot in the door. I turned it down with as polite a smile as I could muster. I curled up on the cot and was soon partaking in a rough night of sleep.

OOOOOOOO

"Miss Reese, your ride is here. Let's not punch anyone anymore, okay?" the officer chuckled, opening my cell door. I smiled and walked out to see Kelly in the waiting room. It looked like she had been up all night…though I'm sure I looked the same. We embraced for a second before tears streamed down my face.

Victoria opened her doors and maneuvered her way home.

"How is he?" I asked almost too quiet. Kelly was quiet, staring out the window to the low hanging afternoon sun. Victoria also didn't say anything, but I felt her shift a little uneasy.

"Kelly…" I begged. Kelly bit at her lip.

"He's stable." A small wave of relief rushed over me; at least he wasn't worse.

"But…"

"Well…we found others who were affected…and…most of them did not survive after a few days. We're still trying to find a dealership with everything we need to replace his engine…but it could take more than a few days…" Kelly never turned to look at me. I could see the outline of a tear run down her face and her swallow hard. I felt sick.

"Did you talk to the survivors…or at least the people they're living with?"

"They haven't called back…but it's only been since this morning. How's your hand?" she asked, trying to divert my attention from the situation. I looked down at my bruised knuckles.

"I'll live," I said dryly.

OOOOOOOO

The garage was still open, though a curtain was placed over to allow for airflow and privacy. Kevin poked his head around the side. A hose ran from the spigot outside to under the curtain and beyond. The cement just outside of the garage had a shadow of a river running down to the gravel and a puddle had formed.

I walked silently into the garage almost afraid to look at Speed. I could hear his raspy, shaky breathing and could see that he was laying down, or at least the Machine equivalent. A weak smile played at the corners of his mouth as he caught a glimpse of me. His eyes were mere slits. I slipped next to him and rested a hand on his hood. It was warm, but not unbearably hot. He wasn't breathing as hard either. He definitely improved since yesterday.

"He's cooled down," I noted, unsure if that was good or bad. Kevin nodded; he looked like he didn't get much sleep either. It was like we were waiting all night for a mare to have her foal and she had it later the next morning.

"Yeah, I'm not having to run water as often. Oh Kelly, someone called and wants you to call back," he said, giving Kelly a knowing look. I felt like they were hiding something from me. Kelly jogged into the house. When she opened the door, Ruger pounced out and jumped up against me. I couldn't help but giggle at my dog and give him the best hug I could despite his wiggling.

"…chell…" Speed whispered. Kevin recalled Ruger and put him in the back yard, which left us alone.

"Yeah?" I turned back to him.

"…s…orry…" His voice was faint and gravelly like he had choked on something and was still recovering.

"Hon…it's not your fault…I'm the one sorry. Next time, we'll wait for Kevin to get home for him to change your oil," I attempted. _If there is a next time_ I thought sadly. Speed closed his eyes and was soon asleep. I snuck into the house to grab a couple of things.

"Michelle…what are you doing?" Kelly asked. I was pulling an armchair toward the garage.

"I'm flying to the moon," I said with a deadpan look. She rolled her eyes. Kevin smirked, but focused on cooking dinner. Something was sizzling in the pan.

"You need to sleep in a real bed. We can take shifts. With three of us, things'll be easier. I've already got the rest of the ranch working without us so we can focus on keeping him comfortable."

"No…I'll be fine out there." I took off the top half of the chair and set it carefully in an open spot. Speed coughed a couple of times, both times sounded uncomfortable.

"Let me help at least," Kelly sighed tipping the bottom half and lifting. We shuffled the chair into place and snuck back into the house. Kelly collapsed on the couch and surfed channels until she found the Discovery channel. A video of baseball bats being made played. Kevin handed me a plate of scrambled eggs.

"Protein. Eat." My stomach was more than happy to accept the food. After a few minutes, I was relaxing and the headache I realized I had was gone. Kevin checked his watch.

"I've got the kitchen," Kelly offered.

"Come out with me, and I'll show you what we've been doing," Kevin stated in my direction. I followed him out to see Speed with his eyes still closed, his breathing seemed shallower and it was obvious he was in pain. Kevin grabbed the hose and let it run for a minute before coming back into the garage.

"So you're not supposed to spray directly on the engine, so I've just been running the water down his hood for a few minutes. It seems to be helping, and he's not too hot now that tonight will be the last night to spray." He handed me the hose.

"Speed…are you awake?" I heard him mumble something. Even with him lying down, I still had to stand on my toes to reach the hose up to the center of his hood. He shivered as the water ran down. His eyes opened a little and he watched for a second before closing them again.

I shut the hose off and maneuvered my way over to the armchair. I scooted it closer and released the footrest so it was as flat as possible. I didn't need to worry about a blanket, as it was warm in the garage. I leaned back in the chair and watched Speed for a second before closing my eyes and trying to take my mind away from reality.

"Michelle?" his voice was faint, but it was just loud enough for me to hear him.

"Hmmm?" I replied, opening an eye.

"You'd…be more comfortable…in the bed…" He coughed, the sound rattling.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"'m fine…" he mumbled. _Stubborn_ I mused. I stood, figuring he'd be happier.

"Let me grab some blankets and a pillow." I snuck into the house. Ruger whimpered a little at my dark form slipping down the hallway, but he didn't react much more than that. Kevin snored away on the couch and Kelly's door was closed and the light was off. I grabbed my pillows and comforter off of my bed and walked back to the garage.

Speed was awake, his eyes barely open and a frown on his grill. I wanted to cry again. I tossed the bedding into the bed and checked my watch.

"Hon, I need to run the water on you okay?" Speed mumbled an "Mmm Hmm" and coughed again. He shivered a little as the water ran. After I finished, I leaned my head against the passenger side window and I thought I felt him lean into me.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered as a tear fell from my eyes.

**To Be Continued!**


	5. They Still Exist Part 3

**They Still Exist pt. 3**

"Where's Michelle?" Kelly asked, waking me up. Sunlight illuminated the garage through the makeshift curtain.

"'m here," I grumbled sitting up and stretching. I was too busy waking up to hear a loud diesel engine roar up the driveway.

"We have something to show you!" Kelly exclaimed, poking her head over the side. Speed coughed, shaking me a little. I frowned…though at the same time I was relieved to know he was still alive. I climbed out of the bed and followed Kelly out to see another truck pulling a large equipment trailer parking in front of my house. She smiled at me as the driver hopped down and quickly walked up.

"So yer friend got hit too, eh?" the man said. He reminded me of Mike a little, gruff but nice. He wore a mechanic shirt with Ben scrawled on the left side. I felt self-conscious; I was still in the clothes I wore yesterday.

"Kelly…what's going on?" I turned to my sister.

"We found what we needed…_and_…someone who's helped the survivors."

"I heard you threw a mean left hook at the guy who got yer buddy. Nice shot, girlie!" he laughed, a big boisterous laugh. I felt my face blush a little.

"What do we need to do?" I asked, trying to conceal my ever-growing excitement.

"We need to roll him out here. I can't get the engine out without damaging your ceiling otherwise. Then, you will need to go do something else. Kelly here told me you fret about and Kevin and I don't need anyone adding to the stress," he added with a chuckle. Kevin, Zoe, and Mike walked up from the housing area and into the garage.

"Hon, we're gonna need you to get up and help us get you outside," I said standing next to the driver door. Kelly was on the passenger side, Kevin and Mike were at his grill and Zoe and Ben were next to Speed's fenders. With more effort than there should have been, Speed was up on his tires trembling. Together we pushed him out onto the cement pad.

"Stay up for a minute, we've got some jacks to put under you," Kevin stated running over to a pile of jacks. Mike followed suit noticing Speed was fading fast.

"Stay with us, Hon." He closed his eyes and a raspy sigh escaped. Kevin and Mike had the jacks in place quickly, and Speed lowered himself carefully onto the support. He looked sick, like his body looked sick…it made me sick with worry.

"Okay, now we need to give him some sleep stuff," Ben stated walking back to the trailer.

"Sleep stuff?" I asked.

"These Machines are smart buggers, they created a solution similar to anesthesia that their systems can handle so procedures like this one are less painful," Ben explained dragging a large hose.

"Alright, big guy, time to sleep for a while. Kelly now would be a good time to take yer sister away. We'll let ya know when we're done." I felt Kelly's hand around my arm and a tug toward the house. Speed was borderline panicking as Ben placed an opening on the tube around his mouth. I could see his eyes close and his body relaxed. My heart dropped.

"C'mon, let's get some breakfast and then go out and ride. You haven't ridden in a few days."

OOOOOOOO

We cooled the horses out a few hours later. The ride relaxed me, but I still wasn't focused on the horse. Kelly did her best to divert my attention, but I would catch myself looking over toward my house. Ben's truck had parked in such a way that most of the site was covered.

OOOOOOOO

"All right, little lady. Yer friend's engine's been switched. He's probably gonna be out for a couple more hours, but he should wake up feeling better. Kevin's been told to give him the rest of today to rest and then do all of the tuning up he'll need. Don't let him try to start his engine for a while, it won't be a pleasant feeling if he does," Ben said, walking into the barn lounge a few hours after Kelly and I put the horses away. I managed to engross myself in a book before he walked in. I threw the book down and gave the man a hug. He smelled of oil and sweat, but I didn't care. He returned the hug after a moment of hesitation.

"Is he still outside?" I asked.

"Naw, we rolled him back into the garage. That engine was pretty messed up. Whoever that jerk was did a number on him. Wish you did more than sock him," he chuckled. I looked down at my bruised hand. _Yeah, I wish I did too…_ I thought. I rushed home to see Kevin sweeping up junk that was accumulated on the driveway. I jumped on him and gave him a hug too. He returned it quickly.

"Thank you!" I said, knowing those two words weren't enough. I entered the garage quietly after that. Speed was resting on the ground again sound asleep. His breath was deeper and clearer sounding. I assumed my position on the recliner and waited. Kelly walked into the garage and cocked an eyebrow.

"You know you have a couple of hours right?" she whispered with a giggle.

"I know, but I figure I can get a nap in too. Probably wouldn't hurt for you to get a nap too. Same with Kevin." Kelly rolled her eyes and walked back in the garage. I leaned back and closed my eyes for a restful nap.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

The dull ache was the first thing I noticed as my body woke up. I hurt and not just in my engine compartment, though the pain wasn't as bad. I pushed myself up and felt a little dizzy, but I was up. I opened my eyes to a blurry world and I had to blink a few times to get a clear picture. Michelle was curled up on the recliner sound asleep.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

"Michelle…" the sound was soft and kind of gravelly. At first I thought I was dreaming, until I realized that I could hear the sound of horses calling in the distance and a light breeze was playing with my hair.

"Michelle…" I opened an eye to see dark.

"Hey you," I said with a smile. I stood and slipped over to attempt a hug. He leaned in to me and closed his eyes.

"How long was I out?" he whispered. I checked my watch and looked out to the evening sky. The moon was out bright and I could make out some details of the barn.

"Pretty much all day. How are you feeling?" He shifted a little, probably figuring out how he was feeling.

"Like I'm not going to die," he replied, a smile in his voice. _He's back_ I though happily.

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Can we go out on a drive?" he asked hopefully.

"No, Kevin needs to tune you up and Ben said you'd be in a world of hurt if you tried. Maybe in a couple of days. I'm really happy you're okay though," I said.

"I couldn't leave my family behind. Can I at least back out so I can be outside? The garage is stuffy." I took a step back as a yes and followed him out to the driveway. The spring air was welcoming compared to the garage. I didn't feel so claustrophobic either. He sighed and sank back down with his eyes closed.

"Sleep in the bed?" he asked, opening an eye. I grabbed my blanket and saw that the rest of my bedding was still there from last night. It was almost like nothing happened…like we never met the man who almost killed Speed. We just had to be careful, those real monsters still existed.

.

**Fin**


	6. Tough Mudder

**Tough Mudder**

Speed left shortly after feeding to go hang out with some truck friends he made. I didn't know where he was going exactly, something about just outside of the city. I was nervous about him leaving, but knew he was only a phone call away. I ran through my list of chores and passed time until he got back, which was going to be before feeding again.

OOOOOOO

I sat in my office when the alarm for the gate went off. I pulled up the security camera and saw a brown pick-up pull in. I stepped out to the office's waiting area to greet whoever was with the truck.

"Oh…My…God…" I suddenly said as the truck stopped just outside of my house. Zoe and Kelly looked up from their computers and about died laughing.

"Uh-oh…someone's in trouble now!" Zoe said between laughing. I had to admit, this was hysterical…but I would have to be the one to wash Speed. I stepped out of the office and whistled to get Speed's attention. I put one hand on my hip and with the other one I motioned for him to come here.

"You are such a guy!" I said as he parked in front of me. He chuckled.

"I regret nothing!" he proclaimed.

"You know this has to get washed off right?"

"But…I'm ticklish."

"I know you are, but you brought this on yourself."

"I hate baths!" he exclaimed pouting.

"Then you should have thought about that before you went mudding. I could just let it all harden and leave you like this," I suggested, raising an eyebrow. That did it. He sighed and followed me back to the garage.

**A/N there will be a few of these smaller ones while I work on a longer story. **


	7. Surprise!

**Birthday Surprise**

It's been a full year since the Change and there had been some talk among the humans on the ranch to celebrate the "birthday" of the Machines. The party was in one day, and the planning was kept quiet.

"I think we need to make it a surprise!" Zoe proclaimed. We sat in the barn lounge watching a recent reining competition and chatting about doing something for them.

"What's with women and surprises?" Mike asked with a husky laugh.

"If you haven't noticed, we do have two female Machines living on the property," countered Kelly. Mike shot her a fake not amused look, though the gleam of glee was still in his eyes.

"How are we going to hide it from them though?" I asked. Speed and I talk all the time, and I'm sure Kevin and the girls chat often enough that this would be tough.

"Just don't mention it. They can go visit Dusty and the gang, or they can go out to Radiator Springs and then come back and SURPRISE!" Zoe exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

"Aww, I'm flattered," Kevin announced walking up into the loft. He sat down and grabbed a handful of popcorn to watch the next run.

"We're gonna throw a surprise birthday party for Speed, Tori and Gem," Zoe explained.

"So are we gonna pretend we're mad at them or something?" Kevin asked.

"We could just avoid them too, or just not talk when they're around…or we could just pretend nothing is going to happen," Kelly suggested.

"They're smart, they'd figure something was up if we force being casual. I'd stick with ignoring them all day. Somehow we'd have to keep them away from the arena," Mike stated. That would be the toughest part since they liked watching the riders.

"We could just give all of the horses the day off," I offered. Business picked up like crazy and client horses were being worked along with the ranch's horses almost daily.

"What would we get them? I mean…they don't eat…so while cake would work for us, it wouldn't necessarily work for them. Then there's gifts…what would Speed like?" I shrugged.

"I've been meaning to replace his windshield wipers," I stated. I wouldn't know!

"Andy said something about them drinking oil…we could do something like that?" Kevin stated with a shrug. He and Andy became really good friends, and visited each other often.

"Let's do that!" Zoe said, jumping up.

"Now to get oil here without them seeing it," Kevin said, grabbing another handful of popcorn.

"Um…hello…we live on a horse ranch…did you forget that?" The reply was a guffaw and a flying piece of popcorn.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV ~ the next day**

"Morning! Hey, I was wondering if you could disc the arena?" Michelle asked me. I finished helping feed the back of the ranch and met back with her home.

"Sure!" I said, more than happy to do that than nothing. I drove over to the arena, and backed up to the disc. Once Michelle hooked it up I pulled into the football field sized building and drove around in circles for about a half hour until the arena was done.

"Great! Now go hang out at home for the rest of the day!" Michelle said once we parked the disc. I looked at her rather confused…was I in trouble or something?

"Aren't horses going to be worked?" I asked.

"Nope, we decided to give them a day off today."

"Then why did you have me disc the arena?" I wasn't upset that I had something to do, but I felt a little frustrated that I did something pointless.

OOOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

"We have a person coming in later today to do a photo shoot," I replied, trying to keep my poker face. I hated lying to him, especially since he looked a little miffed.

"Oh…" We drove back to the house and I left him to go back to the office.

"We told you not to make them upset!" Kevin said as soon as I entered the office.

"I didn't think he would take it that way. I feel bad now." I plopped down on the couch.

"Gem and Victoria were a little confused too, so they can all be confused together," Zoe said after she hung up the phone.

"How long do we have to keep this up?" I asked, throwing myself back against the couch. It was going to be a long day if I kept running into Speed.

"Until after evening feeding," Zoe replied.

We sat quiet for a few minutes before Zoe had to answer another phone call. I stood up and figured I could clean tack to pass some time. Speed, Gem and Victoria rolled up at that point.

"We're all a little bored," Speed said sheepishly.

"Sorry, we're not looking at doing anything today exciting. I mean, you could watch me clean tack…but that'll get boring quickly," I proposed. The three didn't look too pleased with that idea.

"Why don't you guys go for a drive somewhere? Just be back before feeding," Kevin offered stepping out of the office. I threw him a look of gratitude before the others could notice.

"Sure…" Speed said, backing up to allow the girls to start ahead of him. I didn't realize Kevin and I were holding our breaths until they were on their way to the freeway. We let out a collected sigh.

"Good thinking," I told him.

"They suspect something," Kevin observed. I shrugged. They were out doing something other than nothing. I raced back into the office to grab a box of decorations we had lying around.

OOOOOOOO

The arena looked awesome! We had a table with a cake that Liz had baked and drinks for the humans. We had three large cans of oil for the Machines to enjoy plus each of them got a gift of some sort. I felt sort of embarrassed though. I really had no idea what to get Speed, or either of them for that matter. I ended up getting a license plate frame that said, "I'm not driving fast, I'm flying low" and figured if he didn't like it, I at least tried.

I listened to the phone ring on his end.

"Michelle…what's going on?" Speed asked.

"We're trying to figure out where you guys are."

"We're heading back, we're about five minutes away. Is everything okay?"

"We need you to go straight to the arena. We'll see you in a few." I hung up before he could ask more questions.

"Five minutes guys!" I called to the small crowd. Someone switched off the lights and everyone found their places around the tables.

OOOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

I wasn't sure what was going on with Michelle. She was certainly acting strange today. When we drove up to the arena, it was dark and quiet. The afternoon sun wasn't low enough to allow enough light into the building.

"Hello…?" I called, shutting my engine off to hear anything that might be quiet.

Suddenly the lights flicked on.

"SURPRISE!" everyone shouted. I jumped back a foot, along with Victoria and Gem.

"What's this for?" I asked.

"Well…it's kinda your birthday since this day last year, you became…uh…you!" Michelle tried explaining. She walked up with a brightly wrapped package.

"Can you unwrap it for me? As you probably know…I don't have hands…" She giggled and unwrapped the license plate frame.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

"Do you like it?" I asked, feeling a little shy. Speed took a second to read it and laughed.

"I love it! Thank you!" I took a step back to allow the others in. Gem and Victoria also received personalized plate frames with their names on it.

OOOOOOOO

The party ended up being a hit and the night ended with Speed and me camping under the summer stars. I don't know what I would do without him.


	8. Mini Me

**Mini Me**

As time passed and business was growing, we would meet all types of Machines. Some would come in couples with their human families; others would just travel alone, seeing what life was like elsewhere. Life wasn't totally perfect. There were still people who insisted on using the "Blanks" or vehicles that weren't alive. As long as they didn't start slandering Speed or the others, I didn't mind them coming onto the property. Business was business.

OOOOOOOO

Fall was around the corner. Our crops were doing really well; our horses were happy and healthy. I was happy.

I was sweeping the last breezeway in the barn when I heard a small motor and a childish giggle rush in. I turned to see a little white truck zipping down the aisle. It stopped in front of me, its whole body wiggling like a dog wagging its tail.

"You…are…adorable…" I said squatting down to his level. He had bright green eyes. He giggled again before driving back to a human couple walking in.

"I'm so sorry, his parents have been trying desperately to get him to not drive around everywhere," the man said. I poked my head out to see a pair of trucks parked outside of the office. The little one cuddled up next to one of them.

"It's no problem. So…how does that…"

"You don't want to know." I nodded in understanding.

"What can I help you folks with?" I asked, changing the subject.

"We called to meet with the owner about a pony for our little girl." I almost forgot I had appointments today. I saw a young girl hop down from one of the trucks and run over to her mom.

"Oh right! Well come on with me, the pony is still eating breakfast, but you can at least meet him."

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

I wasn't sure what was more exciting, seeing other Machines or seeing other Machines with a child. When the Origins were broadcasting stuff about us, I remember them talking about this possibility. I didn't want to have a young one, but I still thought it was neat.

The little truck sped up to me and stopped just short of my bumper.

"He looks like Daddy!" he said, his voice squeaky. His parents rolled up with apologetic looks on their faces.

"Yes honey, now remember personal space," his mom said. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"He'll figure himself out," I replied. The little truck just stared and giggled.

"You've got a Mini Me, Speed!" Michelle said, walking up with the humans that came with the truck family.

"Yeah I do!" I replied with a chuckle.


	9. Arachnophobia

**Arachnophobia (rated T for minor language)**

"Quit playing with it and kill it!" I shrieked, standing just outside of the tack room. A large Black Widow had formed its home in my grooming box overnight. I was almost bit by it but saw it last moment. Kevin heard my yelp and came rushing over to see what happened. Now he was poking at it with a piece of hay.

"Aww, it's a harmless little thing. C'mon Michelle, she just wants someone to pet her!" Kevin taunted, laughing.

"Harmless my ass! I don't want it hurting the horses. Kill it before it spawns more!" Zoe approached us.

"Um…what's going on?" she asked confused.

"It's just a wittle bwack widow. It's adorable!" Kevin replied with a baby voice.

"I beg to differ. Kill it now or I fire you!" Speed rolled up to the edge of the breezeway at that point to watch the show.

"Don't fire him, he's the only mechanic I like!" he stated.

"There you go! You can't fire me, for I am unfireable!" He struck a superhero pose before going back to playing with the spider.

"Speed, you're not helping!" I said with a small laugh. He simply stuck his tongue out at me.

"Yikes! Sonofabitch!" Kevin shouted jumping back and suddenly stomping.

"Did you get bit?" Zoe asked about to rush in.

"It touched me!" he squealed. His face had paled.

"Where did it go?" I asked, noticing he started watching the floor.

"Shit…Michelle…I lost it…" He spun around in place looking for movement.

"That's it, we're torching the place!" Zoe proclaimed.

"Why did I have to get a steel barn?" I asked leaning against the doorjamb.

"What's with you humans and freaking out about an itsy bitsy spider?" Speed asked.

"It's itsy bitsy to you, to us it's a monster!" Kevin stated as he stomped around. Speed started to laugh and a second later he had "Lord of the Dance" blasting from his speakers.

"Michelle, your truck is a smartass!" Kevin said as he gave one last final stomp.

"Didja get it?" Zoe asked.

"It's dead. I'm not coming in here anymore though." Kevin stepped out of the tack room. Color had returned to his face.

"_Another one bites the dust..._" the song drifted through Speed's speakers. I couldn't stand anymore; I sat against the wall and laughed.

"How are you coming up with these songs?" Kevin asked perplexed.

"A Machine never reveals its secrets." Speed drove off leaving Zoe and I crying against each other and Kevin scratching his head.


	10. Saving Axel

**Saving Axel**

"Guys, the tour group is going to be here soon!" Zoe called from the front of the office building. I was sitting at my desk organizing the never-ending pile of paperwork. I was getting horse papers ready to ship with horses going to various movie sets.

"I'll be out in a sec, just gotta find a good place to stop," I called back. I signed the last page of a file and stacked it neatly on my still small "finished" pile. I closed my den behind me and worked my way down the short hallway to the front of the office.

"The group leader said that they just took the exit," Zoe informed. Liz, Mike and Kelly joined us while we waited for the familiar _ding_ of the gate being opened. It was a horse camp from Sacramento visiting for a couple of days to see how Gold Star Ranch ran as a business. We hadn't had a group this large in a while, so we knew things were going to have a few hiccups.

"Just make sure they don't touch the horses unless they ask," I stated, as if I needed to say anything like that. The gate alarm sounded, so we stood and meandered out to where the bus would drop off the group.

The coach screeched to a stop in front of us. He was panting a little and in general didn't look healthy. He was white on the top half and a dark blue on the bottom half. His eyes were as dark blue as his paint job. The driver stepped out, a crotchety looking man. He muttered something under his breath about the bus and stepped back to let the passengers off.

"Sir, once your passengers are removed, you and your bus can go around to the equipment shop on the other side of the house," Kevin stated. I noted the sad look on his face as he looked at the coach in front of us. We had buses park there all the time when we used to do groups.

"You don't need to tell me what to do," the man stated, looking Kevin dead in the eye.

"I'll take the group for you, sounds like you'll have your hands full," Kelly whispered in my ear. She called the small group's attention and led them to the barn for the start of the tour.

"And you don't need to talk to my employee like that," I countered. I hated being short sometimes. He looked down on me, a look of pure disgust shown in his eyes.

"This pipsqueak is your boss?" he asked.

"Sir, I'd appreciate it if you and your bus…"

"Axel, you piece of trash, go park wherever the hell they were wanting you to park!" Axel winced a little, and after a moment of struggle, he pulled away.

"Sir, if you do not calm down, I will have to ask you to leave the property," I stated. _Axel can't go home like that_, I thought sadly. I could tell Kevin wanted to go help right away, but he was stuck dealing with this man.

"And then what? I'd have to come back on to take these kids home," he responded.

"Not necessarily, we have friends who still have buses," Kevin suggested.

"What, you're going to try and salvage that hunk of junk? You're wasting your time!" the driver said as realization hit.

"Look, here's the way I see it. You're on _my _property…I have a zero tolerance policy to those who mistreat others…you've lit my short fuse, and if you don't calm down, I will have to call the police." I saw my garage open, and knew Speed would be good to talk to Axel. Kevin seemed to read my mind.

"Let's go call a cab," he suggested to the man. The man complied, but he was not exactly happy about it. He shot me another dirty look before the office door closed.

"We need to go talk to Axel," I told Speed in a low voice.

OOOOOOOO

As we approached the shop, we could hear the distinct sounds of someone crying. My heart broke. We rounded a corner to see the shaking figure of the coach.

"Axel?" I asked softly.

"Go away!" I heard him sniff. I jumped down from Speed's running board and walked along Axel's dented body. I rested my hand on his door. He flinched.

"Axel, I'm not going to hurt you."

"How do I know I can trust you? That's what my boss said when I Changed…and now look at me…"

"What if I told you that you could trust me? What if I told you that I am figuring out a way to get you to live here with us instead of going back to that place?" Did I know what I would do with a bus living on the ranch? No…but it was better than him being abused and treated as a slave.

"I can't trust anyone…no…just…leave me alone!" As he tried to start his engine to get away, Speed jumped in front of him.

"Would you feel better talking to me instead?" he offered. _Good thinking, _I thought. Axel let his engine die and sighed.

"I'll go make a few phone calls," I stated, trekking back to my house.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

I wasn't sure what to say after Michelle had left. Axel kept his eyes closed the entire time, though he had stopped crying.

"Why are you still here?" he asked after a few minutes. He sounded irritated.

"I live here?"

"No…why are you still parked in front of me? What part of 'leave me alone' don't you understand?" He opened his eyes and glared at me. I backed up a little, still shocked at his sudden outburst.

"I understand all of it, but you shouldn't be left alone right now…" I tried to keep my voice level. How did Michelle handle spooked horses? _Trying to pet him would just be creepy…_I mused.

"Well…I want to be alone. I don't want someone to pity me, I just want to drive to the ends of the Earth and not be bothered. Period!"

"You need to be able to run without hurting first." _New tactic…_

"It doesn't hurt anymore. I've been like this since the beginning. They barely kept up maintenance. I sat parked in my lane for six months before they realized that I would be of use to them! Feeling like I had a purpose again, I signed onto a life contract with them. I thought they would clean me up and take care of me. I was wrong…" Axel was so into his story, it was like he forgot he was upset with me just a moment ago.

"I'll make a deal with you. You agree to let Kevin fix you up and you can choose to stay here or take off when he's done." I knew Michelle wouldn't mind that offer. He sniffed again, holding back another wave of tears.

"Can I trust them?" he asked.

"I wouldn't be here otherwise. They've saved my bumper more times than I can count. The other two cars were also saved from different situations." Axel hesitated for a moment.

"Okay, I guess I could use some help…" His smile was brief, like he didn't want to drop the shield he put up, but he wanted to know he was happy with his decision.

"Good. Kevin can't help right now, but as soon as he's able to get over here, he will. He's a great guy; you'll really like him. Get some rest, you look tired." I drove back to the house with the great news.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

"Sir, I get that he signed a life contract. Again, I know contracts. But there has to be a deal in there somewhere where he can get fired for not doing his job." I wasn't getting anywhere with the depot Axel came from since I started the call with him. We had gone in circles for ten minutes. The man, Luis, sighed.

"If you're that passionate about _saving _him from nothing, I suppose I can void his contract and send you his paperwork. I was looking at buying those new buses that don't talk anyway. Let me just fax you everything and have you sign whatever you need to sign." I did a little victory dance. Kevin had made arrangements to have a Blank pick up the group when their tour was over, and now Axel is safe. I was overjoyed.

"Thank you very much!"

"Yeah, whatever." _Click._ I set my phone down and ran out to tell Speed.

Speed was waiting outside of my house, a big smile spread across his grill.

"He's free," I said.

"That's awesome! I managed to get him to agree to let Kevin work on him…but I made the option that when Kevin's done he can leave if he wants to…" He looked like I was about to yell at him.

"Good idea. I don't want him to feel like he has to stay here, unless he absolutely wants to. I'm okay with either choice he makes, but I want him to feel like it is his choice." Speed relaxed a little, happy that I wasn't mad.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

"Hey, I'm gonna need you to hang with me while I check Axel. It'd make him feel better knowing there was another Machine there to be with him," Kevin said as he walked up to me. I had parked over by the arena to watch the demonstrations Michelle and the other riders were performing.

"Sure." I opened my door for him to climb in.

Axel had his eyes shut when we approached. They snapped open and Axel looked a little freaked out.

"Sorry…" I muttered.

"What do you want?" his defense was back up. Kevin stepped out of my cab and slowly approached Axel.

"Kevin is going to work on you a little." Axel recoiled from Kevin a little.

"Hi, I'm Kevin."

"You promise not to hurt me?"

"Honestly not on purpose. I don't think popping those dents out though is going to be a pleasant experience though." Axel looked bothered by that comment. He flashed a quick glance past Kevin to me. I gave an encouraging smile.

"Can we do those last?" he asked, nervous. Kevin nodded his head and motioned for Axel to drive around to the front of the building. After some hesitation, and some struggling, Axel was parked in front of the roll-up door. Kevin laid out a towel and started placing tools on it.

"Are you large engine certified?" Axel asked.

"I am, I worked on semis for a few years before moving out here. I worked on a train engine once too…though I'll never do that again," Kevin said cheerfully.

"What happened?" Axel seemed a little anxious.

"It was just a little overwhelming. Nothing happened really. I get a little claustrophobic and being where the engine was made me uncomfortable. No big deal though."

The three of us chatted like that for the rest of the night.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

I wasn't sure when Speed had come home. I awoke the next morning and was surprised to see him still sleeping. He woke up as I opened the door.

"Sorry to wake you," I whispered.

"'sfine," he mumbled, then he yawned.

"What time did you get home?"

"No'dea." His eyes were closing again. I chuckled.

"I'll talk to you later."

"Mmm hmm…" I closed the door behind me and walked to the office. Kevin was face down on the couch, snoring.

"He walked in just an hour ago. They worked on Axel all night," Zoe explained in a hushed voice. I gave her a thumb up and ended up at the shop a few minutes later.

Axel seemed to stiffen when he saw me. He looked so much better though. Most of the dents were gone and he was clean.

"Hey…" I said, feeling like I had just met Speed for the first time.

"What do you want?" So anger would be his way of reacting out of fear…good to know.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing. You look great!" I explained. He looked away.

"Oh…thanks I guess…"

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." He softened a little bit, and a smile played at the corners of his mouth. I dared to take a step closer; as it were I was still twenty feet away. He noticed my movement, but he didn't shy away.

"Good, I'm glad. Speed said he offered for you to stay here…or leave if you want."

"I don't want to be a burden…that's all I was ever called…" he said sadly.

"You wouldn't be a burden here. If you feel like you need a job, you can take the kids to and from school, or you could do like what you did yesterday and help out when we have tour groups. It's entirely up to you, I just don't want you to feel like you are being pushed away or forced here," I offered.

"I appreciate it…I'm sorry if I haven't been the most pleasurable guest…" I shrugged.

"No worries. I'm happy you're doing better though. Now get some sleep, I know Speed and Kevin won't be running around today," I said with a giggle. Axel smiled and closed his eyes to sleep.


	11. Red Carpet pt 1

**Red Carpet Treatment pt. 1**

When it rained in the central valley, it poured. Kelly and I sat in the garage with Speed and we watched a movie. We were bored and neither of us wanted to be out in the weather. Even the horses didn't want to romp around, so we left them in their stalls.

I could hear gravel crunching under tires and a horn honk outside. I paused the movie.

"I got it!" Kelly called jumping up. I followed her into the house and out the front door. A limo stopped before us. He flashed a brilliant smile in our direction. I nodded with a smile back. A man stepped out of the passenger section. He was in full business attire, complete with a briefcase and a Bluetooth in his ear. He jumped at Ruger's booming bark.

"Ruger, cease!" I commanded. Ruger whimpered but stopped barking.

"Which one of you lovely ladies is Michelle Reese?" he asked. I giggled slightly at the lovely. Both of us were in lounge clothes…hardly acceptable.

"That would be me. My apologies, I was not expecting company, or I would be a little more presentable," I replied offering a hand. He took my hand and turned it over to kiss the back. I felt myself blush. Kelly snorted back a laugh. The man was an older man, probably late thirties.

"It's quite alright dear. So if you haven't already guessed, I'm from Blue Moon Studios and I would like to speak with you about perhaps doing a movie with you and your truck, Sven."

"Speed…"

"Right, Steven. Anyway, I know that it's a break in the rain, but do you mind we set up at your table?" I took a step back and let him in. I noticed the limo rolled his eyes and I saw him mouth "sorry" in my direction. I was used to the big city guys always making things about them. It came with the film horse training business. I just shrugged and mouthed back "it's fine".

"I'm sorry…I don't think I caught your name," I said after closing the door.

"Name's James Harrison. Now, I have a couple of contracts here, although we'll need to figure out how to get Sam's signature…"

"Speed," Kelly corrected.

"No thanks, I don't do drugs." His laugh was loud. He didn't see Kelly rub her temples.

"Well James…I want to read over the details first and then discuss this with Speed. This isn't something I normally do…"

"Don't you work in the film industry?"

"Yeah, but I don't act."

"Nonsense! I've seen you in that one movie…um… well the title doesn't matter."

"James…I train horses for movies. I don't act. I still would like to look at the paperwork and perhaps have my agent look at them as well before I sign something willy nilly." James chuckled

"Willy Nilly. I love it! You're going to be a star! You and Sean will get the red carpet treatment! We might be able to get you a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!" Kelly stood behind James, fake yelling "Speed!"

"That's all fine and dandy, but I would love to see the paperwork." James sighed and handed me two folders filled with papers about the project being green-lit and proceeded to look around the living room. All of the usual paperwork I usually saw when I worked with the horses was here. The film would be about the Change and how it affected my life. I found it boring, but if this is what people want to see…

"So, Miss Reese, what do you think?"

"I'm going to hold onto this paperwork and get a hold of my agent."

"Fair enough I suppose. Well ladies, it's been a pleasure. Call me when you've made your decision and I'll give you details on where we're meeting. Ciao!" He walked briskly back to the limo, who was chatting with Speed now. The limo pulled away a moment later.

"We're going to be in a movie?" Speed suddenly asked loudly, kicking gravel up as he spun around to face Kelly and me. His eyes sparkled with excitement.

"If the paperwork checks out and my agent doesn't see any problems. No promises though," I said.

"That would be…awesome!" at "awesome" his voice raised an octave. I couldn't help but laugh.

OOOOOOOO

"Thanks Mary for looking this over on short notice," I told my agent, giving her a hug.

"It's not a problem. Thankfully, after you finish the paperwork, you won't be dealing with James for much longer. That guy can scare away A-list celebrities just by blinking." We both chuckled at the thought. Mary waved good-bye as she got into her "Blank" Honda and drove off. Kevin asked her earlier why she had a "Blank" and she said her other car took off and she didn't want to make the Machines feel like she was forcing them to be with her. She adored Speed…granted, who doesn't?

I sighed and turned back to all of the signature sections of the paperwork. I filled my spots in and walked into the garage.

"I need you to witness that I am signing this paperwork."

"I'm witnessing." He widened his eyes and rolled closer.

"No…you're creepy…" He chuckled and moved back into place while I signed his name. I finished scribbling on the paper and looked up with a smile.

"Speed…get ready, we're about to go to Hollywood!" I stated with a laugh of disbelief. Speed danced in place, obviously not excited to be in a movie. I felt giddy, which was unusual considering the number of sets I've been on.


	12. Red Carpet pt 2

**Red Carpet Treatment pt. 2**

**~Two Months Later~**

Speed waited impatiently as I loaded my suitcase and gave some final instructions to Kelly.

"We'll be back in a couple of days with the film crew following. Make sure the ranch is as clean as possible and those empty houses are cleaned up too so there's room for the cast and crew to stay on the property." I must have repeated myself multiple times, but I was a mix of nerves and excitement.

"Michelle…" Kelly giggled. "We'll have it all under control. Now before Speed goes berserk, you two better hit the road." I turned to see Speed making faces behind me. He stopped just long enough to realize that I was watching. I glared at him and I could only picture him blushing as he smiled sheepishly. I squatted down and gave Ruger a belly rub before walking up to my quivering truck.

"Hey, calm down…I can't drive for you when you get tired," I said chuckling.

"Well…hurry up!" I climbed up into the cab and barely put my seatbelt on when Speed started driving.

"Slow down…we're still on the driveway." I couldn't help but laugh. He was way too excited about going to Los Angeles. Speed slowed and mumbled something akin to what I told him. He shot off like a rocket the moment we hit pavement. I heard a "sorry" as I hit the back of my seat with an, "oof".

I still wasn't used to not being able to actually drive. Speed had told me that he wouldn't mind me getting a "Blank" I shrugged off the thought and told him I'd just have to get used to him driving…especially since I was the face for humans coexisting with Machines.

OOOOOOOOO

The drive to LA seemed to take less than the usual time, and I'm sure part of it was Speed living up to his name. The city was still scarred from the events of the Change. Buildings were in shambles and we would see part of the wall of the human territory. I thought the city near us was bad…

The gate to the human territory was an old wrought iron gate probably from some star's home. Some men who looked like they were a part of a gang were guarding it; machine guns slung over their shoulders. Speed stopped quickly. I hopped down and walked up to the men.

"Afternoon! I'm supposed to be meeting someone from Blue Moon Studios. He said we were supposed to meet here." The men who had previously been sitting against the wall or lounging on a couch stood and started walking toward us. I took an involuntary step back, and I could hear Speed roll back a little as well.

"We don't allow _those_ in here. If you're looking for some studios, you need to keep moving."

"Could you point me to studios that are not in there?"

"Don't know any. All the important ones are in here…but that _thing_ isn't allowed in here." They turned their attention to Speed, hate sparkling in their eyes. Speed rolled back even more, looking exceptionally uncomfortable.

"Look…I get it, Machines aren't welcome, can you at least…oh I don't know…help _me_? I need to meet with someone who said to meet here, at this very location, at _this_ time. Obviously they're not here—"

"Michelle, Darling!" James' timing couldn't be any better…well it could…but I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. The limo stopped and James stepped out. He walked up to me and bowed…like the freakish guy he is. He played oblivious to the men. The gang members turned their attention to the new Machine "threatening" their community.

"Nice to see you too…"

"Follow us, we have a different place to go to." James motioned for the limo to pull up. He hopped in and they took off. Speed and I scrambled to stay behind them, but we were happy we didn't have to stay at the gate for any longer.

OOOOOOOO

We followed the border wall for what seemed like forever. We had to be careful, as the road was hard to navigate. I heard Speed sigh as soon as we hit smooth pavement. The studio lot wasn't as big as other lots, and I think part of it had to do with the Change. We stopped outside one of the smaller buildings on the property. It was simply labeled as "Office".

"I wish I could fit in there," Speed said quietly through his speakers. After the encounter at the gate, I didn't blame him.

"Maybe you can hang out with the limo? Find out what his name is too." I walked up to the door, and turned around to watch Speed drive over to where the limo was parked. They struck a conversation quickly, which made me happy.

James opened the building door for me, and I stepped in to the hallway. It was like being in school again. The hallway was wide for a lot of traffic, and doors lined each side. This must have been the business office.

"The crew is packing up their equipment, but we need to sign just a few more things. It's a shame I can't go with you guys…but duty calls!" he sang.

"How come I've never heard of you guys before?" The thought popped into my head suddenly. James faced me and a serious tone…which I never thought possible…crossed his face.

"We were founded after the Change. It kinda became more of a sanctuary for cars that stars owned. We turned into a movie studio shortly after that since some of the directors wanted to stay with their vehicles. There's an apartment complex just on the other side of that warehouse building. That building is where the cars live. You can check that out if you want. Anyway, let's get that paperwork signed so you can be on your merry way!" I would never understand that guy.

OOOOOOOO

I didn't know why I was feeling star struck…but seeing some of the cars that had been in movies alive was something exciting. The General Lee was talking to KITT in the back of the warehouse. Speed rolled up behind me.

"You should go say hi. We've got a few more minutes before we hit the road," he suggested. I walked over to the two cars shyly.

"You must be Miss Reese," KITT said with a smile. I never felt so much like a fan girl ever.

"Um…Yeah. How'd you know that?" Both cars chuckled.

"James was pretty excited about your visit," General Lee replied. I felt myself blush.

"I'm sorry…I'm a big fan…" _Pull…Yourself…Together!_ I screamed internally. They both smiled politely. I stood there awkwardly for a second, trying to think of something to say.

"Michelle, ready to go?" Speed called from the door.

"It was really nice to meet you!" I said, giggling shyly. I turned and rushed over to my friend.

Speed pulled up next to a convoy of equipment vehicles and trucks pulling trailers for actors and crew.

"Lead the way, Speed!" one of the trucks called.

"Have a good film shoot!" I could hear KITT and General Lee call from the building.


	13. Red Carpet pt 3

**Red Carpet Treatment pt. 2**

**~3 weeks of shooting later~**

I leaned against Speed's side and downed a bottle of water. I wasn't prepared for doing the scene where I would have been stuck in Ma'am's cell and running away. They decided today's mild weather would be perfect for this scene and so they penned this in. I dripped sweat and makeup and I could just hear the makeup artist's voice screaming in my head. I had a few minutes of a break before I had to set up again and run the scene…again…for another angle.

"Alright, Michelle. The camera will be more on your face this time versus the other shots. I want you to be worn out, but determined. Really feel like you just experienced this," Mark, the director, stated walking up. He looked up from his clipboard.

"Perfect! You look great, and keep that expression every time you see an obstacle. It says, 'are you kidding me?'! I don't know why you aren't an actor, you're a natural!" I shook my head at his statement only slightly amused. Mark walked back over to his spot.

"I pray this is the last time we have to run through this scene," I moaned, standing up and turning back to Speed. He looked mildly entertained.

"We? I'm not in this scene," he retorted. I flung the last little bit of water in my water bottle at him. He jumped in surprise and let out a yelp as the icy water hit him.

"Shut up!" I laughed. I walked over to the cell and sat down on the cot that I didn't think I'd sit on again. The studio managed to get permits to use the building, even after the events from the past. I shuddered a little at the thought. I still had nightmares of this place.

"Places everyone!" Mark called. _Here we go again_.

OOOOOOOO

Speed and I rolled into the garage about one in the morning. He and I yawned simultaneously. I was too tired to move. We ran through the scene twice more and then worked on the other scenes where we were set in that building.

"Good job today, Michelle," he said tiredly. I smiled.

"You too, Hon. Thank God tomorrow's a day off!" I exclaimed, leaning back against the seat. I sorely stepped down and worked my way to the house. Speed was already falling asleep as soon as I opened the door.

Ruger greeted me with a whine, but stayed quiet otherwise. I snuck into my room and flopped onto the bed. Ruger jumped up next to me and sighed. I was soon asleep.

OOOOOOOOO

**One Week Later**

"Okay, so when you're riding, I want you to focus on not holding onto the horse's mouth. What I mean by that is keep the reins loose. You're gonna want to hold on for balance, and a trick that I show all of the new riders is to hold onto the mane." This was a typical lesson for actors who needed to ride. It was just enough that insurance for the film company would approve of the actor riding, but not enough that they would win any competitions. The actors playing Kevin, Kelly, and human Speed needed to ride for a scene. They were already doing well. They might have taken lessons before, which made me more comfortable having them ride.

"Thankfully we're only riding for a short scene," stated the guy…I think his name was Josh…playing Speed. He stood in the stirrups and stretched his legs, wincing. I chuckled a little, knowing what it felt like to not ride after a while.

OOOOOOOO

**Two Weeks Later**

"That's a wrap!" I didn't think I would ever hear those words. We had just finished our last scene, which happened to be the first scene of the movie. People cheered, some of them were giving each other hugs, others high fived each other. I gave Ruger a hug and grinned. I sat against the cabinets in my garage and watched the crew pack their gear up. It was late in the morning, and everyone was going to leave as soon as we finished that scene. Crewmembers loaded equipment up and soon we were waving goodbye to the production team.

OOOOOOOO

**The day the movie premieres ~ a few months later**

"Ugh…I feel like a Barbie doll!" I complained adjusting my dress. Speed rolled up behind me with an amused expression. We were just a few minutes away from walking down the red carpet and I was overwhelmed with different emotions.

"You look fine!" he stated, giving me a light nudge with his bumper. I just rolled my eyes and followed him out to the crowd of reporters. One side was Machine and one side was human. My co-stars walked. It was like they owned the carpet. They signed autographs, took selfies with their fans. It was overwhelming to watch. Then it was my turn, followed by Speed.

I didn't think the crowd could get louder, but it did as I walked down the carpet. I stumbled a few times from not being used to wearing high heels (I protested but Kelly insisted). I lost count at how many autographs I signed before I made it to the door. I was a giggling fool at the end of the walk. Speed and I entered the theater and were escorted to our reserved section to watch the movie.

OOOOOOOO

I was surprised with how good the movie turned out. I hated watching myself on screen, but everyone else did a fantastic job. The audience seemed to enjoy it as well, which was a relief.

"It sounds like everyone loved it!" Mark exclaimed, sitting next to me. I looked around to see the audience standing and cheering in our direction. I felt myself blush and Speed was smiling shyly next to me. The audience was still clapping when the credits ended and the house lights popped on.

"I think we have an Oscar winner!" Mark said, giving me a bear hug. I returned it, before turning back to Speed and giving him the best hug I could possibly give him.

**A/N So this wasn't as long as I planned, and part of it could be I am recovering from surgery, school's about to start so I'm getting ready to move, and well…life. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this three parter and I'll hopefully have another short up within a few weeks!**


	14. Nightmare

**Nightmares (Rated low T)**

**(Shortly after events in A New World)**

_ It was like a weird falling sensation and I was suddenly in my garage with Speed next to me. I looked around; trying to gather my thoughts…didn't I just go to bed? Speed had his eyes closed and looked to be sleeping. Panic replaced confusion…I somehow knew what was about to happen…and I couldn't stop it. Suddenly, the door disappeared and Speed's eyes snapped open. Ma'am stood directly in front of him. An unknown light source shadowed her figure, the only thing I could see was a mouth twisted into a snarl._

_ I grit my teeth and tried to lunge at her. No one else was around to stop me, but I felt like I was moving through molasses. Ma'am didn't even acknowledge I was there. I looked down and saw a ball and chain on each ankle. Speed tried desperately to get away, but his engine wouldn't start. Ma'am held her hand up in front of her and gripped tightly at the air. Speed collapsed with a blood-curdling wail. Deep dents appeared down his sides and oil ran from some holes. Ma'am ripped his hood off and repeated the hand motion over his body._

"NO!" I screamed. _Not again…not again…not again…_ The image faded with the sound of crushing metal and I was in bed. Ruger jumped from the sudden motion. I was covered in sweat and my sheets were soaked. Kelly threw the door open and had me wrapped in her arms in seconds. My whole body shook and I was crying.

"Shh…shh…I'm here…it was only a dream…" she said between my sobs.

"He was gone!" I whimpered. Kelly started rocking me in a slow motion. Her head rested on mine.

"It was just a bad dream…he's still alive…you're still alive…" My grip around her waist tightened. She returned the gesture with a stronger hug. We stayed like that for a long time before I was able to calm down and relax.

OOOOOOOO

The TV show rambled on about random news while I sat and played with my mug of hot cocoa. I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. I ended up replacing the sheets on my bed again and sneaking into the garage to see Speed sleeping. I felt a pang of jealousy that he was sleeping easily and I wasn't…but I was grateful that he looked normal and not mangled.

"How many eggs do you want?" Kelly asked, interrupting my thoughts just in time.

"Just one…I'm not really hungry," I replied taking a sip at the lukewarm drink.

"Are you going to tell him this time?" she asked. I looked out of the living room window to see him pulling up to the barn with Kevin. I called in sick or I would be doing what Kevin was doing. It had stopped raining in time for the morning feed run.

"No…I don't want him to feel bad…" I said, staring at the lone marshmallow floating in the cocoa.

"This has been going on for weeks now, you're going to need to tell him eventually. He's been really concerned, Michelle." Kelly sat next to me with a single egg on a small plate. I took it gratefully and started poking at the yolk.

"He has?" Speed never said anything to me about being concerned.

"He hasn't said anything, but the way he looks at you when you're working. You can just tell he is worried about you. As am I. Maybe we should take you to a therapist?"

"And what good will that do me?" I suddenly asked angrily. Kelly was taken aback at the sudden outburst. I looked back down at my egg. The yolk oozed from the center. I set the plate down, no longer hungry.

"Just talk to Speed okay?" Kelly pushed, taking my plate. I sighed.

OOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

A light rap at the door revealed Michelle poking her head in. I was about to fall asleep for the night until I saw her face. She'd been calling in sick for a few days, so I didn't see her at all. She lost weight; I could see it in her cheeks.

"Hey," I said with a smile.

"Did I wake you?" she asked, her voice low.

"No, what's up? Are you okay?"

"Not really…no…I've been having nightmares." I didn't know what to tell her. I didn't really dream…at least that I know of.

"Oh…I'm sorry," I replied. What else could I say? "What are they about?" Was that appropriate?

"Ummm…" She seemed to be fighting tears.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She walked into the room this time. I offered her a place to sit in the driver's seat. She settled a little, and I could hear her sniffle. I almost forgot she was an adult with how she looked. She looked so young…so scared.

"Well…I don't want you to start having them."

"I don't think I have dreams…so you can tell me. I'll be fine." She took a deep breath.

"Okay…without getting graphic, most of the time they're about the day you were Changed into a human…but…you don't exactly make it…" I frowned.

"Oh…" I didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry…I don't want you to die!" she cried. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'm not dying, silly. I'm sorry you're having these nightmares though…" She sniffed again and stepped down from the seat.

"Kelly thought if I talked about them with you, I wouldn't have them anymore. I just didn't want you to think I secretly wanted you to get hurt…" she trailed off.

"Well…I still don't think that…so you're alright. Is there anything you can do to not have them though?" She shook her head.

"Usually talking about them, but Kelly knows and I still was having them. You look tired, I'm gonna try to get some sleep. Night, Hon." I closed my eyes and drifted.

_I woke up…but I wasn't in my garage. Did I drive somewhere in my sleep? Details were fuzzy, but I could tell I was in a dark building…a cell of sorts. Then it hit me…_

_ "H-hello?" I called out. My voice echoed. I drove forward and bumped into an invisible barrier. A light flashed on. Michelle stood in the light. She smiled and waved at me._

_ "W-what's going on?" I didn't like this growing nagging feeling I had. Michelle stopped smiling and looked confused. Could she hear me? I backed up and bumped into another invisible barrier. Panic took over. I rammed into the barrier and could feel my frame crumple from the impact. My vision blurred a little more. I couldn't feel anything though. Michelle watched for a second before fighting some people. Another light flickered on and the machine appeared._

_ "NO!" I shouted as I watched Michelle was dragged to the machine. Her body was limp, but she was still alive. I could see her screaming, but I couldn't hear her. They hooked her up to the machine. "nonononono" I kept saying, pushing against the barrier. My tires spun but I wasn't moving forward. Ma'am appeared in the first light and was holding a shiny object in her hand. She raised the object and her arm jerked. I looked over at Michelle and realized she had been shot._

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

I was able to sleep! It was amazing while it lasted. I jerked awake from Ruger barking at something. I jumped up and chased him out to the garage. Kelly followed also. I could hear Speed calling my name in a panic. I flung the door open. Speed's eyes were wide and he was shaking.

"Shhh…Speed…what's wrong?" Kelly asked. I walked up next to him. His breath was as shaky as his body.

"He had a nightmare…" I stated with realization. Speed closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I rested my arm on his hood and felt him lean against me. His trembling slowed to a stop after a few moments and his breathing was back to normal.

"Now I know why nightmares are so bad…" he mumbled after a moment. I smiled.

"Yeah, they're not pleasant. Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked softly. He sighed.

"I-I couldn't save you…" his voice choked up and he started shivering again.

"Shh…you don't have to tell me." I could hear him fight back a sob and felt him lean into me even more.

"Can you sleep in here?" His voice was small. I straightened up.

"Sure, lemme just grab a couple of things."


	15. A New World The trailer

_**A New World**_** ~ The trailer **

**(Suggested music by Two Steps From Hell)**

_We see a high angle shot of Gold Star Ranch. Horses are grazing and trucks are pulling in and out with horse trailers._

Next shot: Some people riding horses in the arena. 

**Narrator: "At first, Michelle Reese's life was normal."**

_We see a blonde woman leading a horse and talking to a couple of people. They're smiling._

_**Darkness**_

_It's a dark office room. We see paperwork with the word "Machines". A woman's hand is tapping on the desk and we hear a person scream. _

**Narrator: "Little did she know, life was about to turn upside down."**

_We see Michelle talking on a cell phone._

**Female voice on phone: "…but I was thinking that we could do a couple of games before the fireworks. What do you think…Michelle?"**

_Michelle looks shocked, and has the phone slightly pulled away from her ear. She's staring at something off camera. We hear the voice on the phone repeating Michelle's name._

**Michelle: "…impossible…"**

_The camera pans around to reveal a Machine staring back._

_**Flash transition**_

_News clips flash of riots and fighting._

_**Flash transition**_

**Speed: "Call me Speed."**

**Michelle: "I'm Michelle." **

_**Flash transition**_

**Speed: "There have been disappearances…" **_Speed looks concerned. Michelle flashes a sympathetic smile._

**Michelle: "Let's go on a drive."**

_**Flash transition **_

**Female voice: "Are you broke down?"**

_Michelle is hiding in Speed's bed and we see over his side to see a blue Crown Victoria._

_**Darkness**_

**Michelle: "Drive!"**

_Montage of a chase scene occurs._

_**Darkness**_

_Close up of Michelle's face. She is crying. It is dark wherever they are._

**Michelle: "Speed…I'm so sorry…"**

_**Darkness and silence except for a howl of pain.**_

**Narrator: "Buckle up…"**

_Michelle is being held back by a couple of men in labcoats. _

**Michelle: "Speed!"**

_**Flash transition**_

**Narrator: "For the ride…"**

_Michelle is running. We hear gunshots._

**Narrator: "Of your life…"**

_**Flash transition with hospital sounds**_

_A woman who looks like Michelle walks up to a man clutching a stuffed horse._

**Woman: "Speed, you can come in now."**

_Speed is crying as he sees Michelle in a hospital bed._

**Michelle: "I'm not dying, silly."**

_**Fade to title card**_

**Narrator: "A New World. Coming to a theater near you this summer"**


	16. Family Reunion

**Family Reunion**

Speed was nervously quiet as we trekked north to visit my parents. Rumor had it that the human territory was a strictly humans only city, despite the laws changing and my speech playing on repeat for two weeks straight. Thankfully my parents moved back to their home after I made that speech so we would only need to pass through. I stared out of the driver window, losing myself to thought…and trying not to bother Speed driving. Kelly buried her nose in a book and the only noise I heard from her was giggling or grumbling. To say I was bored was an understatement and I felt myself nodding off after an hour.

OOOOOOOO

**Four hours later**

Speed braked hard, startling me from my light sleep. I heard Kelly gasp from being thrown against the seatbelt. Her book fell to the floorboards.

"What the heck?" I asked looking around. Speed was shaking violently. Outside was an unpleasant aftermath of the Change still sadly fresh. I opened his door and jumped out to see a lone man with a shotgun standing on the road. He must have jumped out in front of Speed. The way the man was moving, he was panting. He was probably my dad's age, in his late fifties maybe. He was fit though, and he stood like he meant business.

"Michelle…" Speed whispered uneasily as I walked up toward the man. I put my hands up. Beyond him was a wasteland still scarred from battle. Dang…I had it easy with Ma'am.

"Hi!" I said as cheerfully as I could. "So…I'm wanting to visit my parents who live another two hours north of here…"

"Well you'll just need to find another way around then…or leave it here," he stated and pointed back to Speed with his rifle. He cocked it for effect.

"Um…I really hate to point this out to you…but the laws do state tha—"

"The laws don't apply here! Now hold still you piece of—" Speed had started to position himself behind me but stopped as soon as he was addressed. The man took a sharp intake of breath and took an involuntary step back. He was scared… I wondered if he was almost ran over by the Machines who followed the Originals' orders.

"Sir…please. I promise you we're only passing through!" I was getting desperate. Kelly stayed with Speed, but I could hear her voice calling my name. The man didn't lower his weapon. I started backing slowly to Speed. I stood directly in front of my frightened friend and crossed my arms. Time to change my tactic. The man took a few steps closer to us, but they were tentative, his body language was that of fearful. He wasn't too far away from us, but I was more than willing to bet he was used to shooting Machines at a distance. Speed stayed, but I knew he wanted to drive away. I could hear Kelly jump down and I saw her stand next to me a few seconds later.

"Get out of my way! I'll just take care of this monster so it doesn't try to hurt us!" the man said a mix of anger and fear in his voice. My heart was pounding.

"No. He's not going to hurt you; we just want to pass through!" Kelly stated, her voice quavering.

"Plus…we would have been hurt a long time ago if he wanted to do that," I said as casually as I could. The man lowered his gun, his face softening in thought. _That was too easy…_ I thought uneasily.

"Aight…I guess you can go…" He meandered off the asphalt but kept his eyes on us.

"Too easy," I heard Kelly say the best she could without moving her lips. Speed nudged me with his bumper. I turned back after making sure Kelly still watched the man.

"Be ready to drive when we get in," I said, keeping my voice low. I rested a hand on his warm hood. He took a deep, shaky breath. Kelly and I moved back to our seats, keeping our eyes on the man. Speed was already driving slowly forward as she and I jumped in quickly. Speed shot forward, and the man was too slow to react. I watched his figure fade in the mirrors.

"It's not over yet…" Kelly pointed out. We still had the other end to get through.

"I'm not going to sleep tonight…" Speed said through his speakers referencing the carnage outside.

OOOOOOOO

We were finally there. Speed was taking the exit, cheering quietly. Less than a mile was left until we got to my parents' home. Thankfully the other end of the human territory didn't have a watch person standing guard. That or they just didn't want to shoot Speed. I wasn't sure, but I didn't see anyone, that was for sure.

My parents' house pulled into view. It was a small five-acre property. They had two horses and a small barn set behind their cozy home. As soon as I was able to take over the ranch, my parents wanted to retire and move closer to family. Mom couldn't handle the stress the business brought to my Dad, so they moved.

Speed barely stopped before Kelly jumped out to hug our eagerly waiting parents.

"You doin' okay?" I asked, resting my forearm against Speed's fender. From the sun and his engine, it was almost too hot to lean against.

"I'm fine, just tired," he replied.

"Get some rest. I'll check in on ya in a bit." He nudged me a little as I walked around. My mom greeted me immediately with a hug. I forgot how strong her hugs were. She looked passed me and noticed Speed.

"Oh, Sweetheart! Let's go get you comfortable! Our garage is empty for you!" she exclaimed, always being the over-caring hostess. I don't think Speed was expecting this reaction.

"Oh…um. Okay, thank you, Mrs. Reese," he said backing up to the garage.

"Oh nonsense! Come, we'll get you comfortable. Do you need a blanket? Something to drink?" Her voice faded as her and Speed entered the garage. I couldn't help but giggle with Kelly and Dad.

"How's life down there, Kiddo?" Dad asked me.

"Business is kinda slow…but that's expected right now. We're surviving, that's the main thing." He embraced Kelly and me again before we walked into the house. Mom's voice traveled through the house as she continued smothering Speed.

"Well, survivin' is probably the best thing to do right now. The rest of the family will be over tomorrow. Just warnin' ya though, Machines aren't exactly welcome, though there are a few that live up here. Been rough since your whole ordeal."

"Yeah, we're still settling disputes in our area, though it's been pretty quiet recently," Kelly replied.

"Good. I'm glad you made it up here in one piece. Yer friend seems to care about ya a lot," Dad stated, nodding his head in the direction of the garage.

"Yeah, he's a good friend," Kelly and I replied at the same time.

OOOOOOOO

It was getting late and my parents were getting ready to sleep. Kelly was on her computer, working on some documents for a project she was about to start. I walked out to check on Speed. He smiled at me as I stepped into the garage. I stared down at a ruffled pile of blankets and pillows that he shoved aside probably just after Mom put them there. Another blanket was lying across his hood.

"You comfortable?" I asked with a giggle. He nudged a pillow with his tire.

"Your mom seems friendly," he answered with amusement in his voice. I stepped over the plush items and pulled the blanket off.

"She's like that with all of their guests. Just wait 'til tomorrow, though she's less awkward with humans. Sorry about that."

"I appreciate her trying though. It's better than seeing the open end of a rifle."

"No rifles here, at least none that you'll be worrying about. Anyway, I wanted to make sure you were alright and to let you know that things tomorrow might be a tad bit awkward." I knew my family would be open-minded…or at least I hoped they would be.

"I'll be on my best behavior," Speed stated in a mocking tone and rolled his eyes. I elbowed him with a chuckle.

"Rest easy."

OOOOOOOO

Poor Speed had a rough morning. A cat had jumped down from the garage beams onto his roof and he about jumped out of the garage. Then, when Mom saw he had pushed the blankets aside, she fretted about him getting sick from the chilly nights, which then made him feel bad. We had to explain to Mom that Speed would not get sick (at least not how we would get sick) and that he didn't want to get the blankets and pillows too dirty (okay the logic on that was off, but it calmed her down).

Speed, Kelly, and I were told to hang out in the garage and not help in case some family showed up early. Speed did go out for a few minutes to get some fresh air, but he backed into the garage after Dad lightly scolded him for possibly ruining the surprise. Kelly and I would be the surprise of the reunion. Everyone else in the family lived close by and could ride horses or drive carts, so they visited often. Mom busied herself with setting up the back yard while Dad made sure there were enough spots for horses and carts.

"Do you think any of them will have Machines?" Speed asked a little while later. I felt bad that he would be probably by himself, though I would make sure I could hang out near him so he had someone with him.

"It's a possibility. I honestly don't keep in touch with my family as often as I probably should," I replied with a shrug. I could hear hooves trotting down the road and I could hear one of my uncles calling Dad's name. They passed by the garage and faded to the barn.

"Uncle Rob!" Kelly whispered excitedly. More hooves trotted by as the rest of that family arrived. Kelly and I peeked through the small garage window to see our cousins and aunt dismount and hug Dad. Our cousins- twins- were about ten years younger than Kelly and me. I hadn't seen them in what felt like decades, though it was likely only eight years.

OOOOOOO

The garage was making me claustrophobic. More family members arrived on horseback. One uncle arrived with an older model truck. I was excited for Speed and could tell he was getting anxious to meet the other Machine.

"Well, in light of recent events, I'm glad that we can come together and be a family! In the true Reese Family fashion, we adapted and overcame whatever obstacle was in our path," Dad proclaimed. The reunions were always somewhat cheesy, but that was what made them memorable I suppose. I could hear Speed bite back a chuckle and bumped him with my elbow teasingly.

"It's a shame the girls couldn't get up here this year," I could hear one of my aunts say sadly. The garage door started to open. I could see Kelly jump out of the corner of my eye. I giggled a little.

"Kelly! Michelle!" a chorus erupted as our faces were revealed.

"And Speed!" I said, throwing my arms up in a presenting fashion. A wave of familiar faces approached to give Kelly and me hugs. It was gonna be a great day.

OOOOOOOO

It was getting late, and as my family members departed, I grew more and more tired. Speed said a final goodbye to Buck before rolling over to me. He had dandelions on his bumper and some on his hood from the younger cousins giving them to him. I laughed as he tried shaking them off and going cross-eyed trying to see them. I picked them off, giggling the entire time.

"Did you have fun?"

"I did actually. Everyone was really nice!" he replied.

"Good. I told you there was nothing to worry about," I teased.

"Did you have fun?" he asked, redirecting the conversation.

"I did. It was nice seeing the family after so long." We meandered over to the garage. Speed yawned, and I followed along with a yawn of my own.

"We go home tomorrow?" he asked mid-yawn. I nodded.

"Get some rest, you're gonna need it. Night, Hon." I walked into the house with Speed mumbling 'night' in my direction.


	17. The Race

**The Race**

Radiator Springs had it's own charm to it. I never heard of it before the Change, but I'm pretty sure it was Machine built. I just knew Lightning lived there and that he and Speed were great friends. Lightning just got home and invited all of his friends over to celebrate a successful race season. We pulled up to Flo's café just in time for everyone else to arrive. Olivia ran up to me to give me a hug while the other humans took their time walking over. Speed rolled off with some of the town residents as well as Dusty.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

"Naw, man, you don't have it in you," Boost said, looking directly at me. I don't recall any time I made them mad. We were talking about racing, and shamefully admitting times when we were going way over the speed limit, much to Sheriff's annoyance. Boost didn't believe it when I talked about Ma'am chasing Michelle and me down.

"It's true!" I stated calmly. The Tuners looked at me in disbelief.

"I challenge you to a race!" Boost exclaimed.

"W-what?" I stuttered. I wasn't expecting that.

"Yeah, c'mon, let's see what you've really got under that hood," Boost said, almost threateningly. I backed involuntarily as he neared.

"I—"

"Speed'll win, why, I know he's the fastest truck I've ever met," Mater stated rolling up between Boost and me.

"Mhmm…I'd like to see that. What do you say, Rancher?"

"S-sure…" _What did I get myself into?_

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

I lost track of time while I visited with my friends. After what were probably a few hours, the Machine crew came back. Speed couldn't stay still, and seemed jittery.

"Alright, who gave him caffeine?" I asked slightly concerned after watching him for a minute.

"Boost challenged him to a race," Lightning stated casually.

"How'd that happen?" Andy asked, seeming to fight a growing bubble of laughter.

"Shoot! Speed's the fastest truck around, why wouldn't he race?" Mater stated confidently. _Leave it to Mater._ I knew there was more to this story, but didn't push it.

"Did you bet anything?" I asked looking over my sunglasses to Speed.

"No."

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on him," Boost teased driving up with his cronies. I never really liked these guys. They always drove me nuts. I stared back at the hot rod. He seemed like he would play fair, and I'm sure if Sarge heard about him cheating, there would be a problem. I thought for a moment before a playful smile appeared on my lips.

"I think you'll need to worry about Speed going easy on you," I replied. A collection of "ooh"s and laughter filled my ears. I followed the gang out to Willie's Butte. Like the show-offs the gang members were, they shot forward, Sheriff following behind yelling at them.

"You can drift right?" Lightning asked Speed as we trekked across town.

"I think so?" Speed started sounding a little nervous.

"Good. Boost doesn't and if you don't, then you're both gonna end up in the cacti," Doc stated rolling up next to me. I winced a little and looked up ahead to Speed. Lightning was explaining the "sweet spots" of Willie's Butte.

"You sure he'll be alright?" I asked Doc, a little concerned.

"He'll be fine. He's used to dirt. Boost just wants to have an ego."

"Yeah, his ego isn't big enough," Maya said, matching pace with me. Her and Andy caught up after watching Dusty take off with Olivia. I could see Dusty in the horizon, circling the dirt track.

OOOOOOO

Speed and Boost pulled up to the chain marking the start line. Sheriff explained the rules to them briefly and then Luigi pulled up with a flag tied to his antenna. Dusty circled overhead, no doubt Olivia was cheering for Speed. I played with the hem of my t-shirt and chewed on my lip. The track was a mile long and the second turn was right next to a cliff.

"One for the money…" Luigi began.

"Two for the show…"

"I can't watch," I murmured to Maya. She wrapped her arms around my arm.

"Three to get ready…" Boost revved his engine, smirking. Speed was looking past Luigi, a look of confidence shining in his eyes.

"Four…GO!" Both Machines pulled away, covering Luigi in a layer of red dirt. Speed was keeping up with Boost…no wait…Boost was keeping up with Speed…I didn't know. They rounded the first turn and Boost pulled away…and away. His cronies were screaming from excitement. My eyes never left Speed.

"He won't make it. Mater, get ready to go fishing," Doc ordered.

Boost was going on the outside to cut in, a technique that doesn't work on slick surfaces. Speed was still in the middle of the track and nearing the turn. Boost braked for the turn, and started to slide toward the cliff. I tensed; that crash wouldn't be pretty. He lost complete control of where he was going. Speed slowed down. I could tell he was concerned.

Boost regained himself, but wasn't going anywhere, something was wrong, or he was catching his breath. Either way, Speed was just sitting there. _Speed…what the heck, dude?! GO!_

"Speed! Go!" shouted Maya, shocking me out of my worried silence. Speed seemed to shake himself from the concern and kept going. Whatever was wrong with Boost fixed itself and he shot off to catch up to Speed. Speed was still five lengths ahead when he crossed the line. The entire town cheered, minus the Tuners who revved over to Boost. Boost looked like he was in pain.

I broke off from the crowd to meet up with Speed. He was panting, but he wore a triumphant grin on his grill.

"You had me worried for a bit," I admitted. He chuckled.

"I…had myself…worried…" The rest of the crowd approached. Choruses of 'great job!' among other phrases of praise were echoing through the canyon.

"That was intense!" Andy exclaimed.

"That was…kinda fun! Now I know…why you like doing it so much!" Speed said looking at Lightning.

"Too long of a season, I need you at the ranch," I said, playfully nudging him.

"Is Boost okay?" Speed asked, shifting his attention to his competitor. The Tuners rolled up to the crowd.

"What happened out there?" Doc asked the hot rod.

"Panicked and stalled…" Boost muttered. I winced and noticed Speed did as well.

"Go get rest, that'll help with the discomfort," Doc ordered. The four hot rods slowly drove back to town. Boost stopped and turned around to face Speed.

"Hey man, great racing today! You really do have it in you."

"Thanks!" Speed replied. Boost pulled away with his buddies.

"Be warned, you just got their respect…they'll be buggin' you now to hang out," Maya warned with a giggle.

"I've got better people to hang out with," Speed replied, nudging me.


	18. Obstacle Course

**Obstacle Course**

"Sunscreen…check! ID…check! Towels…check! Change of clothes…nope…oh well! Teammates…check, check, and check! You guys ready?" I asked Kelly, Kevin, and Zoe. They all nodded while in their various stretch poses. We were about to run a 5-kilometer obstacle course fun run. We were representing the ranch. I couldn't wait to see what obstacles were being offered.

"Will they have a place for me to watch?" Speed asked. He was the only Machine going. Victoria and Gem were staying behind to help on the ranch.

"I'm sure they'll have someplace for you to park and watch," Kevin stated while he balanced on one leg and pulled his other up his side.

"If not, we'll raise a fuss or something," I laughed.

OOOOOOOO

The fairgrounds were packed. Speed followed the "Machines this way" signs to parking that lined the race route.

"Answers my question," Speed said after parking by a daunting looking obstacle. It was a pool with three 60 foot beams across it. There were also two massive wrecking balls spinning around to knock runners off the beams. The five of us watched for a minute as a woman in a rainbow tutu slipped about halfway and belly-flopped into the water. There was a collective groan from her audience.

"I'll whistle when we get to this one, okay?" I said, turning to Speed.

"Sounds good." He looked back at another person being shoved off of the beam by the wrecking ball. "Don't get hurt…"

"We'll be careful. Bye!"

OOOOOOOO

We were one of the last waves to run through. The bass of the dance music vibrated every ounce of my body. Kevin and Zoe attempted to swing dance to the song playing. Kelly took a picture with her waterproof camera while I watched the group inch their way to the start line.

"Are you guys ready?" shouted the emcee into his microphone. The already loud crowd whooped and hollered in excitement. I jogged in place to get my blood moving. A couple of men skipped past the team wearing tutus and fairy wings. Kelly snapped a quick picture while jogging behind.

We neared the first obstacle quickly. It was a seemingly simple moon bounce. I jumped up onto the bounce house and skipped across it. Someone else next to me stepped just right and launched me up a little higher than anticipated. I landed on my back and bounced back onto my feet in time to see Kevin face plant the inflatable floor. We stumbled the rest of the way off of the moon bounce, laughing the entire time.

"Guys…I can't run anymore…I can't breathe…" I said between laughing fits. The others- panting and giggling- agreed. We slowed to a walk for a few minutes to catch our breath. Another group of guys wearing speedos passed us.

"I guess if they're comfortable, that's all we can hope for…" Kevin said, cringing slightly.

OOOOOOOO

The next obstacle was an inflatable slip and slide. The four of us lined up with the four lanes and raced fifty feet before launching forward on the slide. Kevin won. I made it about three quarters of the way before getting stuck and Kelly and Zoe made it just a little longer before they too got stuck. We sloshed out of the soapy water giggling and throwing bubbles at each other.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

Humans were strange beings. I couldn't decide if the torture some of them endured on this obstacle was funny or painful. While they all seemed to be in good spirits, I couldn't imagine falling and bending in the ways they were. I felt glad that I didn't have to do this; knowing Michelle…if I was a human…I'd be doing this too.

"Speed!" I heard a familiar voice shout followed by a whistle. I sifted through the crowd of faces to find Michelle doing jumping jacks and the others waving.

After a quick few minutes, the four of them were lined up on the platform next to the pool. Michelle stepped back so the others could race. They stepped onto the floating beams and steadied themselves. Kevin, on the closest beam, found an opening from the spinning balls and took it at a brisk walk, only to slip three steps in and fall facedown on the beam. He slid into the water and swam over to the other side of the pool.

Kelly was on the far beam and had the wrecking balls spinning toward her. She shot forward and made it three quarters of the way before the ball shoved her off. She squealed as she hit the water.

Michelle had taken Kevin's spot and watched the balls rotate to find a pattern. Zoe took off with a squeal and slipped halfway across.

"Bet you can't make it!" Kevin called to Michelle from the end. She just laughed in a sarcastic tone before finding her opening and running.

"Go Michelle!" I shouted. She leapt the last four feet onto the solid platform on the other side. I cheered with some of the other Machines watching.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

That was probably the most challenging obstacle of all of the obstacles we went through. We still had a large inflatable water slide to slide down and then we were done.

"What's your secret?" Kevin asked.

"I ran…" I said shoving him playfully.

"You flew! The wrecking ball would have had to fall in the way you about mowed it over," Kelly said laughing.

OOOOOOOOO

We finally made it to the inflatable water slide. We took turns climbing up to the top and then went down together. We hit the pooling water at the bottom where the finish line was. We crawled out of the pit and went to take our pictures in the bubbles. We giggled the entire time.

OOOOOOOOO

Speed was waiting for us as we sloshed toward him. I had already started drying minus my shoes.

"Hey guys! Did ya have fun?" he asked. His neighbors had already left and he was almost by himself.

"We did. We're gonna feel it later though," I said, stretching an already aching muscle in my leg. Kelly handed out towels and I changed from my tennis shoes to sandals.

"I don't want my interior wet…make sure you're all nice and dry," Speed teased a smile in his eyes.

"Diva…" I muttered playfully. I was close enough for him to nudge me a little effectively knocking me off balance as I pulled a sock off. I hopped away and managed to catch myself before falling.

OOOOOOOO

The race was in the city, which normally isn't a long drive, but my aching muscles protested otherwise. The four of us slowly moved about, grabbing whatever we had brought with us. Speed just chuckled the entire time and saying something about "crazy humans" at one point.

"Can I call in pain tomorrow?" Kevin asked before walking off. Zoe and Kelly groaned in agreement

"Wimp!" I teased. After a few more minutes, everyone departed for home. I gave Speed a 'good night' pat on his hood before waddling into the house.


	19. Field of Screams

**Tricks or Treats**

I stared thoughtfully at my calendar on my home office's wall. "October" was scrawled in fancy print across the top and the picture was one of the ranch's horses in a fancy knight costume. Halloween was just around the corner. The _tink_ing of dishes in the kitchen pulled me from my reverie and I walked out to investigate. Kelly was rinsing off a couple of Halloween theme plates.

"Where'd you get those?" The bowls were pumpkins and the plates had spider web designs on them.

"Did you know this house had an attic?" she giggled and nodded her head to the dining room table where a box labeled "Halloween décor" sat.

"I thought Mom and Dad emptied it out! What else was in there? Hopefully no real spiders…" I shuddered dramatically. Kelly laughed as a reply. I opened the flaps of the box and found a string of black lights as well as cute paper decorations. Everything looked to be in good condition despite the fact they hadn't seen the light of day in five or six years.

"Kevin said that Andy and Olivia want to invite us to a haunted corn maze near where Dusty lived sometime this weekend. It's big enough for Machines to go through if Speed or the girls are interested. I found a news article about it saying it's really scary," Kelly said as she grabbed another stack of salad plates that looked like spiders from behind the box.

"Tempting…" I said wryly.

OOOOOOOO

"Where are we going again?" Speed asked as we headed up I-5. I only told him the general location to try to surprise him, but it made it hard when I knew he wanted details. Kevin couldn't go with us as he came down with a bad cold…or so he said.

"You'll see when we get there," I stated with a chuckle. Kelly buried her nose into a book, but I could see her profile wrinkle up from a grin.

"You do realize that I'm the one driving right? I kinda need to know where we're going."

"You need to know the general location. Specifics will come when we get there. I already put the address in your GPS so just follow that." I heard a sigh and a grumble.

"Be grateful I didn't blindfold you and ask someone to tow you to where we're going," I teased. He mumbled incoherently causing Kelly and I to have a fit of giggles.

OOOOOOOO

The farm the maze was at had decorations lining the perimeter fence.

"A corn field?" Speed asked as we slowed and turned into the venue. "This was your big surprise? Michelle…I'm…" he cut himself off as he saw a sign for the "Field of Screams: Machines Welcome!".

"Not just any cornfield!" I giggled.

OOOOOOOO

We thankfully got there early enough to be toward the front of the line. Kelly and I stood in front of a not too impressed Speed and giggled the entire time. Andy and Olivia sprinted up to us and didn't slow to give us hugs. Maya walked with Dusty who was happy to see he wasn't the only Machine being dragged into the maze. Us humans chatted excitedly about the event while Dusty and Speed mused over how crazy we were.

OOOOOOOO

"Okay folks, welcome to the Field of Screams!" an employee said with a really good creepy voice. "Now that we have our Machine friends tagging along, we have a few new rules we ask for you to follow. No engines please, just cruise along quietly. No lights! Headlights, tail lights, wing lights, nada! Please don't run anyone over either. Now, enjoy your night!" As he said that, a man revved a chainsaw behind us, causing my group to jump. After a moment we laughed as we watched the reaction of everyone else as the man ran down the line with the chainsaw revving.

"I really don't mind waiting in the parking lot…" Speed said uneasily.

"They can't touch you, and you'll be behind us so the scaring won't even be focused on you. If Olivia can do it, you can do it!" I said pointing at the youngest in the group. She giggled.

"Want me to follow him so he doesn't turn around?" Dusty offered, nudging Speed with his landing gear.

"Relax, hon," I said as the line started moving.

"Easy for you to say," Speed muttered.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

Humans are weird. 'nuff said.

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

The beginning of the maze was a massive tunnel that was barely wide enough for Speed. He had to fold his mirrors in in order to make it through. Dusty had to go into another tunnel that was a little wider for the planes. Andy and Olivia went with him per his request. Kelly had a death grip on my arm as we slowly made our way through the dark tunnel and out into the cornfield. Right as we exited someone dressed as a broken free crazy person jumped in front of us and giggled manically before dashing back into the corn. Kelly and I both jumped and Kelly screamed right into my ear. We heard the rustle of corn and a squeal from Olivia. We kept walking to a clearing where the two paths converged. Olivia was almost on top of Dusty's wing and Andy was walking backwards and laughing.

"Michelle…I wanna turn back now…" Speed whispered right behind me. I just giggled.

"There's no turning back now…" whispered someone to Speed's right. He yelped in surprise and rushed forward in a panic to catch up to us.

"Speed…wait up!" Dusty called from the back.

OOOOOOOO

The maze was super fun. By the time we had finished, I think Speed and Dusty were a little traumatized while the humans were laughing and carrying on.

"I don't ever…_ever_ want to do that again…" Speed muttered.

"C'mon, you had fun!" I egged, elbowing his fender. He chuckled a little.

"Thank you for going with us!" Olivia said running up. She gave us a hug before taking off to leave with Dusty and Andy.


End file.
